Here at GPL we are lovers of big family dinners with comfort foods that warm our bodies and hearts! So, we’ve done a round-up of our top-rated Winter Warm- Up Recipes from years past and we HIGHLY suggest you dive right into these recipes! Be sure to click on the links for lots of incredible choices; no doubt the entire family will totally enjoy—we promise! 

Triple Grilled Cheese With Tomato Soup
Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small inner stalk celery, chopped
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup shredded Muenster cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
8 slices thick sandwich bread
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Directions
1. Combine the olive oil, onion, garlic, celery, tomatoes, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Purée until smooth with an immersion blender, or transfer to a regular blender in batches and purée. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm; add water to thin the soup, if desired.
2. Meanwhile, combine all three cheeses in a bowl. Divide evenly among 4 bread slices and top with the remaining bread. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sandwiches in batches, adding the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons butter as needed, until the cheese melts and the bread is golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve the sandwiches with the soup.

TIP: When blending hot liquids, first let cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth.

One-Pot Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Bean Stew)
INGREDIENTS
For the beans:
8 cups water
2 ½ tablespoons salt, divided
1 lb dried cannellini beans

For the soup:
½ pound (5 to 6 pieces) thick-cut bacon, diced
2 large yellow onions, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup white wine or water
1 bay leaf
½ pound pasta
5 thyme sprigs
10 ounces baby spinach
2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine the water and 1 ½ tablespoons salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the beans, cover the bowl, and let stand at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. In a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon. Once all the fat has rendered, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all put one tablespoon of bacon fat. Cook the onions slowly with ½ teaspoon of salt so they start to caramelize and turn golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the celery and cook just until the celery is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Remove half of the onion mixture and reserve with the bacon. Deglaze the pan with one cup of wine or water, scraping up any brown residue that has formed on the bottom of the pan.
4. Drain and rinse the beans and pour them into the pot with the remaining onions. Add the bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of salt, and enough water to cover the beans and onions by 1 inch. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour, then begin checking the beans for doneness. Check the beans every 15 minutes until they are completely soft and creamy. (This can take up to 2 ½ hours depending on the age and exact variety of your beans.)
→ Make-Ahead Tip: At this point, the soup can be chilled and refrigerated for a day or two before serving. The soup (or a portion of it) can also be frozen for up to three months.
Set the pot of cooked beans over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Add the bacon, reserved onions, thyme, pasta, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Add more water if necessary so the pasta is submerged. Add the spinach to the pot and stir until it is wilted. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme stems. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
4 slices bacon, chopped
1-teaspoon olive oil, if necessary
1/2-teaspoon salt
1-tablespoon brown sugar
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spread Brussels sprouts on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with bacon. Roast for 10 minutes until bacon fat starts to render. Pull the pan out and toss Brussels sprouts in bacon fat. Sprinkle with salt. If not enough fat has rendered, add 1-teaspoon olive oil.
3. Roast another 10 minutes. Pull pan out and add brown sugar and shallots. Roast another 10 minutes or until shallots are softened and sprouts are crisp on the outside. Pull pan out and toss with dried figs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Blondie Brownies
Ingredients
1/2 cup of butter, melted
1 cup of tightly packed dark brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup semi sweet chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour an 8X8 pan. Whisk together the melted butter and sugar in a bowl.
2. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix it all together. Add the butterscotch chips, semi -sweet chips, or other mix-ins such as nuts if you want to add.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30  minutes.